Albany Public Library developed and marketed a weekly drop-in clinic and related programming to provide one-on-one reference assistance and referrals for tax preparation customers.
Key Activities:
Developed a partnership with the local United Way agency to join forces on programming and, especially, marketing to cross-promote resources and services.
- Coordinated training for librarians on the use of financial literacy collections and local resources pertaining to financial counseling, with assistance from the New York State Education Department, Division of Library Development.
- Organized financial fairs to promote the services and resources of local nonprofits and government agencies.
- Coordinated financial education services as part of the library’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
- Established a drop-in, one-on-one financial clinic and coordinated efforts between the clinic and the library’s legal aid project.
Through the drop-in clinic, provided weekly personal finance reference assistance and referrals for patrons; monthly assistance pertaining to credit repair, home buying, and foreclosure; twice monthly sessions on money coaching, goal setting, and identity theft; and, with the Capital District Women’s Bar Association, monthly legal consultations on financial topics.
